Tourism has become popular around the world, with many countries relying entirely on it as their primary income. In this essay, I will point out some of the negative effects of tourism and give some solutions to tackle these problems.
Nowadays people are traveling more to places that in the past were impossible to reach, and the tourist’s number has increased around the world because of globalization. This has brought a significant positive impact for some countries economies; for example, in my country, tourism brought prosperity and wealth by providing a better quality of life to its population. However, this phenomenon also has its drawbacks, and the most important one is housing inflation. In my city, local people are struggling to afford rent or even buy a house because most of the houses available are transformed to short-term rent for tourists. This also indirectly causes the relocation of the people to the outskirts of the city, making it difficult for them to commute to work every day. Another disadvantage of tourism is the loss of cultural heritage. In some areas, tourists are destroying the places they are visiting by throwing litter and disrespecting ancient’ monuments. To face this problem, there are places where local communities are asking their government to only permit certain tourists to enter the city. This measure is thought to be a solution, such as helping the visitors to learn the culture of the country before applying for a visa. Additionally, other measures have been taken by some governments and citizens of some countries to control the problem of housing. For instance, the number of visa applicants has been cut down to a certain limit per year, and there has been an increase in the taxes for Airbnb owners (Airbed and Breakfast) to make more houses available to the population.
In conclusion, tourism is important for the economy and development of some countries; however, it also brings some negative effects. It is crucial for the local governments to create laws and rules to protect their countries heritage and lives of their own citizens.